Strategic Communications & Marketing

To maintain consistency and professionalism across all university communications, Strategic Communications and Marketing provides a full suite of branding resources for:

• Writing and editorial style
• Logo usage
• Colors and typography
• Photography and videography
• Digital and social media
• Promotional items and event publicity
• Website and content guidelines

Brand Identity Style Guide and Communications Manual.

Strategic Communications and Marketing is SC State’s central source for university-wide messaging, media engagement, and institutional storytelling. We highlight achievements, programs, research, student success, community impact, and major initiatives to strengthen the university’s visibility and reputation.

The unit supports external and internal communications, helps faculty and staff share accomplishments, manages major announcements, coordinates emergency or safety messaging, and leads communications for signature events such as Homecoming, Founders Day, and Commencement.

Requests for news releases and internal communications should be submitted using the Service Request Form.

The Office of Strategic Communications & Marketing will assess the newsworthiness of all requests before proceeding. We may also pose additional questions to clarify or expound on the information submitted. All submissions will be edited for AP Style compliance and institutional tone and standards.

To stay informed and receive timely safety updates, all students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to register for SC State’s emergency communications system. This system delivers real-time alerts — including weather emergencies, campus closures, safety instructions and other urgent notifications — through text messages, email and, when necessary, voice calls. Keeping your contact information updated ensures you receive critical information without delay and allows the university to communicate quickly and effectively during emergencies.

Using your scsu.edu email address, you may sign up for emergency communications from SC State at www.getrave.com. Registration takes only a few minutes and is essential to maintaining a safe and responsive campus environment.

The Current is SC State’s primary internal newsletter, delivering timely updates, announcements and highlights to faculty and staff each week. Designed to keep the campus community informed and connected, Bulldog News features institutional updates, upcoming events, policy reminders, employee achievements, facility notices and key communications from university leadership. The newsletter serves as a central hub for important information employees need to support their work, stay aligned with university priorities and remain engaged in campus life. Submissions from departments across the university help ensure the publication reflects the full scope of activity and achievement at SC State.

Elevation is SC State’s weekly newsletter that brings together the university’s top news releases, athletic highlights and feature stories in one convenient publication. Designed to keep the broader Bulldog community informed and engaged, Elevation delivers a clear snapshot of the week’s most important updates — from academic achievements and major announcements to student spotlights and sports results. Published by Strategic Communications and Marketing, the newsletter offers a curated, easy-to-read digest that elevates the best of SC State’s news and storytelling.

SC State welcomes engagement with journalists and works to support accurate, timely coverage of the university. To help facilitate effective communication, the Office of Strategic Communications has developed guidelines and protocols. These guidelines outline expectations for interviews, official statements, on-campus access, branding, and emergency communications.

Official News Media Guidelines

All media inquiries, interview requests, filming permissions, and questions about university statements should be directed to the Office of Strategic Communications & Marketing.

Primary contact

• Sam Watson, swatson2@scsu.edu

Secondary contacts

• Amauri Allen, allen12@scsu.edu
• Kay Snider, ksnider@scsu.edu

Graphics submissions must follow SC State’s official branding standards, including correct logo usage, approved color palettes, proper clear space and minimum size requirements. All materials submitted for posting or distribution — whether for social media, digital screens, campus televisions, email announcements, presentations or print — should comply with the Brand Identity Style Guide to ensure consistency across the university’s communications. Files should be high-resolution and provided in commonly accepted formats (PNG, JPG, PDF or vector art when applicable). Materials that do not meet branding standards may be returned for revision to protect the integrity of the SC State visual identity.

Graphics requests, including designs for social media, posters, flyers, email banners, digital screens and print materials, must be submitted at least two weeks in advance using the Service Request Form. This lead time allows Strategic Communications and Marketing to develop creative concepts, produce high-quality designs, ensure accessibility and branding compliance, and schedule placements across the appropriate platforms. While the team will assist with urgent needs when feasible, timely submissions greatly increase the likelihood of full support and successful promotion.

Social media submissions should align with SC State’s brand standards and messaging priorities to ensure a consistent and professional presence across all platforms. Content provided for posting — including captions, photos, graphics and videos — must follow university branding guidelines, use approved logos and colors, and meet accessibility expectations such as alt text and readable text overlays. Submissions should include all essential details (who, what, when, where and why), as well as any relevant links, tags or hashtags. Materials that do not meet branding or quality standards may be returned for revision to protect the integrity of SC State’s digital footprint.

Social media posting requests — whether for news announcements, event promotion, recognition posts, live coverage support or multimedia storytelling — must be submitted via the Service Request Form at least two weeks in advance. This lead time allows Strategic Communications and Marketing to evaluate the request, align it with the university’s content strategy, schedule it in the posting calendar, produce necessary graphics or video, and ensure appropriate engagement across Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. While the team will assist with urgent requests when possible, timely submissions ensure stronger visibility, higher-quality content and broader reach.

Our photography and video services support the university’s storytelling by capturing high-quality images and footage that reflect SC State’s brand and professional standards. The team provides coverage for selected events, produces visual assets for marketing and communications needs, and maintains a consistent, polished look across all platforms. Faculty and staff may also schedule appointments for professional headshots, which are available on designated dates throughout the semester.

To ensure availability and adequate planning, all photography and videography requests should be submitted well in advance — ideally two weeks prior to the desired date. This lead time allows Strategic Communications and Marketing to evaluate the request, determine project scope, and confirm scheduling. While not all events can be covered due to demand and staffing, the team works to support priority initiatives and provide guidance for units managing their own photography or video. All images and footage produced must align with SC State’s brand, quality and accessibility standards.

South Carolina State University’s Division of Institutional Advancement operates two radio stations bringing music and sports to the greater Orangeburg area:

• WSSB 90.3 FM, a jazz public radio station.
• WPJK 1580 AM & 92.9 FM, ESPN Radio and Bulldog Athletics

WSSB 90.3 FM

www.wssbradio.org

The mission of WSSB public radio is to broadcast the very best jazz music, current news and produce innovative, entertaining, and informative content that enriches the daily lives of our audience and the cultural life of South Carolina.

History and Overview

Since its debut in March 1985, WSSB, 90.3 FM, licensed to South Carolina State University, has consistently fulfilled its mission to provide quality culturally appropriate programming to public radio listeners. The format of this listener supported public radio station entertains the jazz aficionado, educates the novice jazz listener and disseminates news and information relative to the community-at-large.

Points of Pride

• WSSB, with 80,000 watts, is the most powerful, non-commercial radio station licensed to a college or university in the state of South Carolina.
• WSSB is the only jazz radio station in the state of South Carolina.
• Over 100,000 listeners tune to WSSB each week on the radio, and an ever-growing number of people listen online via our two 24-hour web streams or on Internet radio.
• WSSB is a member-supported, public radio station.

About WPJK 1580 AM & 92.9 FM

www.espnorangeburg.com

Along with ESPN programming, SC State’s WPJK broadcasts local intercollegiate and high school sports.